Plan for the expansion of the Cemetery of Ponte Buggianese

Pistoia, Italy

Architects: Massimo Mariani Architect

Location: Ponte Buggianese (PT), Pistoia, Italy
Year: 2012

The design concerns an area of about 4,500 square metres, which is placed next to the already existing cemetery.

From the urbanistic point of view, the cemetery is divided into 2 parts. The first-one bears a clear 19th century influence and looks like a lot of other places of the Tuscan surroundings. The second part, dates from the 60s/80s.

This new plan is trying to give back to the cemetery its own identity both of worship and respect, and it is developed on the continuation of the longitudinal axis. The old church has been demolished to free access to the expansion area and a new church was built as to complete the long perspective axis. The new church is characterized by large crosses, one per elevation, and wide glass windows coming out from the coated-stones chapels.

On both sides of the church there are two buildings in white reinforced concrete, characterized by a huge grid which goes to outline an area of semishade.

The buildings are developed on two floors: on the ground floor there are some containers of various dimensions, on the upper floor, the loculis occupy the central area and look out the balcony, behind the main facade.

The inner yard includes a lawn for the land graves, on the south side, near the side entrance, we envisage the building of a functional arch which will host a flower shop. Besides, on the south side, in order to join the new and the old area of the cemetery, there is going to be the coating of the existing side with a metallic net for creepers.